05/08/2026
Thereās something I need people to understand about buying a house right now.
The interest rate is not the only thing that matters. I know social media has convinced everyone that mortgages are some kind of online Black Friday deal where you just grab the lowest number and sprint to checkout, but thatās not how this works.
I cannot even tell you how many times Iāve reviewed another lenderās quote that looked āway cheaperā at first glanceā¦ only to find out they conveniently left out taxes, underestimated insurance, ignored flood insurance requirements, didnāt include transfer taxes, or structured the loan completely wrong. But hey, the payment looked cute for 12 minutes.
A good lender isnāt just there to throw out a rate and disappear into the abyss. They should be explaining things clearly, preparing you upfront, catching issues before underwriting does, communicating with your realtor and attorney, and knowing how to actually structure a deal when things get complicated. Because trust meā¦ they ALWAYS get complicated.
Iāve had files where:
- the appraisal came in low
- buyers switched jobs mid-process
- condos needed spot approvals
- taxes were estimated incorrectly by another lender
- borrowers were self-employed with 47 different income streams
- sellers allowed early occupancy and created a legal nightmare
- underwriting asked for documents that probably date back to the Roman Empire
And somehow we still got them closed.
Thatās the difference.
The cheapest quote on the internet means absolutely nothing if your lender canāt answer the phone, advocate for you, explain whatās happening, or get you to the closing table on time.
This is one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. Please stop choosing lenders the same way people choose shampoo on Amazon.
Use someone who knows what theyāre doing. Preferably someone who answers after 5pm and doesnāt vanish the second underwriting asks a question.
